Year: 1998-1999
Class: MDiv (Previous)
Class Instructor: Dr. Daryl Merrill, Sr.
Homily: “A Justified Man’s Life by Faith in God”
Homily by: Domenic Marbaniang
Text: Romans 1:17: “The Just Shall Live by Faith”
State Track/Angle: Analogical view-point of life-process
WHY?
• The subject is a very broad one; comprehends, runs through, the whole Bible. Exhaustive talk impossible.
• Not just a theological or philosophical enterprise; a call to a meaningful experience of life eternal; a relationship.
Define Terms for a Clear Perspective of Thinking
• The Just: The righteous one – one who stands and lives his life in conformity to God’s Just Standard of Living
• Live: The entire life process consummating in eternity.
• By: Out-from/of; by; because of or by reason of.
• Faith: Faithful, living, loving faith, obedient to truth, based on the Being of God, based on His Revealed Truth. The means by which we respond and relate to Him.
PART I: COMMENCEMENT: THE START OF THE LIFE
ORIGIN BY FAITH “OUT OF”
V17: “The Just shall live by faith”
A. Syntax (form)
1. The just by faith, shall live.
2. The just, by faith shall live.
B. Meaning
1. The man justified by faith shall live.
2. The justified man shall live by faith.
C. Implications
1. Grace: Unmerited Favor of God
Unmerited: Man’s Position – Sinner, Doomed
Favor: God’s Provision - Christ, Cross, Gospel.
Rom.3:24: “By grace you are justified freely.”
2. Faith: Man’s Response. “Faith without deeds of the Law”
Rom.3:28: “…justified by faith.”
D. Conclusion
1. Justification: Righteousness of Christ imputed. Declared (not made) as righteous. A right standing with God.
2. Eternal Life: A right standing before God in everlasting relationship.
The Standing: What he is, the result of faith (begins by)
The Life: The result of responding to God’s grace in faith.
PART II: CONTINUITY: THE PROCESS, CONTINUITY OF THE LIFE (BY FAITH)
ILLUSTRATION: Difference between living man and dying man
A. PERCEPTION (CONTINUOUS)
Rene Descartes: Certainty of knowledge depends on the certainty of the existence of God; on the certainty of His Truthfulness.
If that is true of the secular world, how much more to a justified man of God!
1. Relating to God Empirically by Faith.
Ill. Relating to world by 5 senses. Relating to the Unseen God (world) by Faith (sense).
The righteous by faith is SENSITIVE to God’s PRESENCE and God’s POWER.
2. Relating to God Cognizantly by Faith.
Ill. One of the basic requirements of knowledge is Belief.
Ill. Observation, Note, Research.
The just SCRUTINIZES, SEARCHES the SCRIPTURES (REVELATION) to UNDERSTAND and KNOW the PERSONALITY and PROMISES of God by Faith.
3. Relating to God Meaningfully by Faith
Ill. What is the advantage of knowing the world, if it is of no significance to me?
It must help and benefit my life.
The just SUBMITS to the Will (Plan, Revelation) of God, having understood its SIGNIFICANCE for his life by Faith (1Cor.2:10-14; Convicted by God’s Spirit). He thus APPROPRIATES the Promises of God by his faith (Heb 6:12).
SUBMISSION: (1) in Loving Faith (love)
(2) in Obedient Faith (obedience)
B. PROTECTION (CONTINUOUS)
What is to be preserved?
1. The FOUNDATION of the Justified Life
Ill. Body Genetic Code (Cell)
1Cor.3:11. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Gal.1:8 – Preacher of any other Gospel accursed.
Jesus Christ: the Son of God Incarnate, Crucified, Risen, and Living. The Gospel communicated through His Apostles and Prophets.
1Cor.5:21. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
2. The BUILDING of the Justified Life (The Man)
Ill. The Body/Building in conformity to foundation/no leaping overs
Life in CONFORMITY to the righteousness of Christ imparted to us. No Extra-foundations-laws.
Philippians 1:27: Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ… Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel.
The Negative: Shipwreck (1Tim.1:19); Slip (Heb.2:1); Err from (1Tim.6:10).
Conclusion: YOU LOSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, NO MATTER HOW INTRICATE, FALLS/COLLAPSES.
Gal.2:20: Christ Lives in Me, I Live by Faith in Him.
Jn.15:4,5: Abide in Me, and I in you. Without me ye can do nothing (Severed from me ye are good for nothing).
The Process of Preservation/Protection
1. Resistance (Defense & Offense Mechanism).
Ill. Immunity, Stamina. Fighting sickness and disease away.
By Faith in Christ the Just FIGHTS the FOREIGN FOES away.
Eph.6:16 – Shield of Faith (Defense)
1John 5:4 – Overcome by Faith (Offense)
Rom 8:37: “Nay, in all these things we are more than Conquerors through Him that loved us.”
Rom 8:31: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
It is totally the work of God’s grace in your life as a result of your response to it in humility and obedience of faith.
You can’t do it by yourself. Failure (falling down) comes when man tries to trust in his own strength, talents, and abilities rather than trusting in Christ.
If you depend on your strength, you are defeated.
But, IN HIM you more than conquerors.
You need to acknowledge and submit to the help of the Holy Spirit/the Paraclete (Helper) and adhere and abide in Christ and His word by the Spirit.
Wearing the label of a Christian doesn’t keep you protected. You need to stay in the vicinity of protection. In Christ’s Zone.
James 4:7 – Submit to God, resist the devil.
• SUBMIT. You get out of the arena of His will and you lose His protection. Abide in Him.
• RESIST in accordance to the Rule (the Word of God) mixed with faith and confidence in Him; by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Authority of His Name.
2. Recharge (Energy to Keep Going)
a. We derive our strength by abiding in Him and He in us by faith (John 15:5; Eph.3:16 – Inner man; Ps. 84:5-7).
b. We derive the strength daily by faith in His promises, and do not faint (2Cor.4:14-18 – renewed day by day; Col.1:11).
Conclusion: When Christ dwells in you by loving faith and you in Him by obedient faith, you have Authority, Power, Strength, Might, and Victory.
C. PROGRESSION (GROWTH-MOTION)
1. Improvement
a. By RECTIFICATION (of wounds, faults)
Prov. 24:16; Eccl.7:20 – Not one just who sins not
1Jn.1:9 – Confess and forsake
Paul says: “STOP DOING” lying, stealing, fornicating, strife, etc.
b. By DEVELOPMENT (of parts, areas)
Rom.12:3 – God has dealt to everyone… measure of faith.
Rom.14:22 – Have faith to thyself before God…
2. Increment/Increase
a. INTENSITY (Pr.4:18)
Your faith influences others.
b. PROXIMITY (Heb.12:1,2)
More focus, more patience.
Purpose: Maturity
• Dominate (Matt 28:18; Mk 16:15-19)
Will judge angels; act like kings and not like babes.
• Reproduce
- Make Disciples
- Baptize
- Teach to Observe
Prayer: Read Col.1:9-11: For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.
PART III. CONSUMMATION (BECAUSE OF FAITH)
A. PRIMARY CONSUMMATION
More data for faith.
REST – Learning (Matt.11:28-30)
TEST – Greater mountains to solve. Rest leads to Test leads to Rest….
B. FINAL CONSUMMATION
1. Eternal Kingdom (Matt.25:34 – to believers)
2. Eternal Reward – to overcomers, those faithful to the end; fruitful, responsible. (Rev. 17:14; 2:10; Matt.25:14)
APPLICATION
1. Don’t lose hold of His Grace
Prayer: 2Thess 1:11,12; 1Thess 5:23-25
2. Don’t lose hold of your Faith
Work: Phil.2:12,13; Heb.12:1,2
Story: The origin of the song “I have decided to follow Jesus”
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